For Maridalen‘s third album, although the line-up of Jonas Vemøy, Anders Hefre and Andreas Haga remains the same, the venue has changed and instead of the self-referencing village church, they have decamped even further from civilisation to the island of Gressholmen, a boat ride from Oslo, which according to the lovely photographs is an apparently partly abandoned area redolent of the past.
Their minimalist outlook is still present, but the change of scenery and interjection of some welcome guests has presented us with fresh perspectives on their monophonic trio sound. The soft-focus intro is a gentle welcome, caressing the listener and gearing them up for a delightful journey.
There is a real intimacy and a forlorn nature which is in keeping with the abandoned imagery on the album cover. Whatever passes for percussion shimmers in the background like shifting sand as the narrative sax and jaunty trumpet take our hands. There is an older jazz feel but allied to Nordic folk, becoming playful and hinting at pastures new. You can just imagine them hidden away in the “Turistforeningens Cabin” away from the glare of the mainland and allowing nature to have its effect on the creative process.Bar-room voices gently carouse in the background and the soft-spoken lullaby “Smeigedag” shimmers with shades of pedal steel. The bass is lugubrious but warm and the pedal steel transports, inviting you to a slow sashay on the beach, toes dipped in the water, lost in the moment. There is such lightness to their tones and the pieces often have a jaunty air, the narrative nature naturally drawing you along. The songs run in whichever direction they choose but you can expect to be surprised; the hand-clap and flute-infused “Folket På Berget” is a folky diversion with lovely distant voices coming over like a late morning dream.
Mysterious, spidery bass and scraped percussion inhabit “I Nattens Mulm Og Mørke” which has a sultry, smoky air. It crafts a spell with saw-bound whispers in the distance, while “Mysig” is more night-time jazz; you imagine inhabiting certain moods and the low-key speakeasy tune with its ragtime piano coda dissipates like a dream. Conversely, the sax and trumpet are a totally fascinating pair, one always jaunty, the other a little more measured. The bass meanwhile keeps them grounded and slows things down where necessary, particularly on the funereally paced ‘På Havets Bunn”, where an industrial scrape accompanies angelic voices .
The rhythms generally have a quirky quality, nearly always playful; and as the sax and trumpet duet, other little textures are added like glistening jewels, subtly hidden, ripe for discovery. The change of venue has done nothing to diminish the joy in Maridalen’s process and if anything has given fresh perspectives on their core trio sound. A delight from start to finish.-Mr Olivetti-
